A World Bank Mission has started a two weeks inspection of the progress of road construction works in key municipalities including Mbarara City in Western Uganda.
Dubbed the implementation Support Mission for the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) Additional Financing, the activities that kicked off on April 24 and are to run up to May 5, 2023 include reviewing infrastructure implementation progress in the cities, municipalities and districts hosting refugees under the program.
The World Bank is funding the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) Additional Financing programme at a cost of $360 million aimed at improving infrastructure of roads and other amenities in the new cities, municipalities and selected refugee hosting districts.
Stephen John Ajalu, the Senior Urban Development Specialist at the World Bank, is leading the exercise which commenced in Kabale and Ntungamo municipalities on Tuesday.
“We are asking the contractor here in Kabale municipality (Multiplex Construction Company Limited) to ensure that they complete the ongoing works on time in order to keep within the agreed timelines of the project,” Ajalu warned.
The task team leader also advised that in protecting the implementing units of the USMID projects from the tendencies of having funds returned to the treasury account of government, it was more than urgent for the road works to be completed before the end of the USMID AF programme this December 2023.
In Kabale municipality, Multiplex Construction Company Limited is the implementing firm for the tarmacking of roads which include Bwankosya (0.76km), Bushwekire (0.34km) and Rushoroza (2.49km) among others worth shs21 billion.
“This contractor needs to take this work very seriously, this issue of disrupting the business community with open roads and open drainage channels is affecting their customers and their operations. Can these civil works be completed quickly,” pleaded Sentaro Byamugisha, the Mayor of Kabale Municipality.
The World Bank Mission under the IDA programme will also review the impact of swept resources on implementation of activities, identifying what activities have stalled and what actions are planned to get implementation moving.
Dr. Isaac Mutenyo, the Programme Coordinator of USMID-AF, encouraged the cities and municipalities implementing the multibillion shillings programme to marshal every effort within the timelines left to complete the projects.
“Completing these various road works within the municipalities, could motivate our development partners together with the government of Uganda to expand on financing road infrastructure in these urban areas,” Mutenyo, noted.
Among the municipalities whose projects are being reviewed by the World Bank Team,, includes, Ntungamo, Kasese, Kabale and Mbarara City.
It is also expected to assess the fiduciary issues, including the financial status, outstanding procurements, and contract management, including reviewing the safeguards management in all on-going infrastructure works plus the progress on the safeguards audits; and discuss plans and activities required for program closure on December 31,2023.